Toy gun



W. O. HERSEY Nov. 22, 1955 TOY GUN Filed Feb. 8, 1954 JNVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent bocker Plastic Co., Inc, North Hollywood, Calif., a

corporation of California Application February 8, 1%4, SerialNordObflG 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-79).

My invention relates to a toy pistol for ejecting water or otherliquid from a nozzle: The water is ejected from the nozzle by means of a hand operated piston-type pump contained within the water storage cavity of the body of the pistol, the invention being particularly concerned with novel pump structure for a toy pistol of this typet in my copendiirg application Serial No. 2583699, filed October 29, 1951, Patent No. 2,678,753; isdis'closed and claimed a pistol for ejecting water orotherliquid having a pump means for this-purpose. The instant invention is a continuation-impart of the above" application and is essentially an improvement over thedevice of the said applicati'orr chiefly as regards the pumping mechanism.

One object of the invention is to provides toy pistol of the foregoing type characterized by the sirnplicity of its component parts and the ease of. registering one part with th'oother and ot assembling these parts;

The chief object of thisinvention is the provision of a piston-type pump for a pistol of the above character, whichpump consists of a minimum ofsi-mplc component parts, is readily assembled, and is efiicient in o eration.

The parts comprising the shell of the pist'olare made in two longitudinal halves. The pumpof the invention in nested within the body ofthe shell and the trigger for operation or" the pump is disposedexternally of the shell. The shell and some of the component parts of the pump are made of molded plastic, though other materials of construction may be employed.

Myinvention will be understood from the following description when taken in connection with the drawings, wherein i Fig. 1 is a view partly in section; taken on line 1--1 of Fig. 3, with complementary or cover half removed to illustrate the parts more clearly, showing the pump assembly oi the invention assembled in place andjthe channels through which the water is carried to the nozzle;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section showing the pump of the invention in operation; i

Fig. 3 isa sectional view takenon line 3 -3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken ou line 44 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view takenonline 5-5 of Fig. 1, with certain parts removed;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

. Fig. 7 is a view of one face of the pump piston of the invention; and

Fig.8 is a view of the opposite face ofs'aid piston.

Referring to the drawings which are provided with reference numbers indicating the component parts entering into the assembly of the device, the pistol, as illustrated in the drawings, is constructed in the form of a magazine containing pistol. This form is not a limitation of my invention but is utilized asan illustration of the adaptability of my invention to various forms of water pistols. Other forms may be employed and aretwithin the spirit of my invention. Asshown the pistol has a wide depending hollow hand grip 2 above which is provided a filling opening closed bya flexibly attached plug 26 for the purpose of closingwthe filler opening after the 2,724,528 Patented Nov. 22, 1955 ICC 2: hollow body oi the pistol is filled with water or other ll'uid. The interior of: the pistol t hus forms a liquid storage container.

Integral with the hollow hand grip and as. a continuing part thereof is a hollow chamber in. the form oil a pistol barrel having a closed channel 203 formed by: the top wal'l of the barrel. and a lower wall; 15-9 adjacent to. and parallel with it for the major portioni of its length, thus forming a closed channel for the major length of thfizPlStOi. At the forward or discharged end, this channel changes to adownward course withz a; short channell 20a formedtby' the vertical flange 1% to join: thehorihontal opening at the nruzzle portion 291; into: which. is: inserted a nozzle Zllc provided with a smallbore' towinsure that the Water leaving the pistol will issue: therefrom in a fine stream. when. the pistol interior is: operated to eject a stream of water by the: user... At therear' end. of the channel 20 is a barrier wall 3'0 which extends; between the: flanges; 119v 2% to close ofi the end: of the channel: 202..

Mounted within the hollow hand: grip portion" and secured therein is a pump according to the instant inventinny The pump has a horizontal chamber 3i forming a pump cylinder which is closed at. its rear end 4 and open its tot-ward end 4". The rear portion of the cylinder chamber is reduced in diameter, fiorming, a; rear pocket 3. Slidably mounted in the bot-"e of thecylinder 3 a piston. 5. Formed in cylinder 3 nearthe open end thcreof is a pair of bayonet slots 6' disposed diametrically of each oth'er.

Cylinder chamber h receivesvthrough. its;v open end 4', one end of a sleeve: 7' having. any outsidod'iarneter smaller thontho inside diameter orfi thecylinder 3'. The sleeve has a. cylindrical passage therein and is open at: both ends. At one end of thesleeve is a circular flange 8 slightly less indiarneter than that ofi the inside of the cylinder .3 so that t! a sleeve can be: slidably inserted into the open end 4/ of such cylinder chamber. The. other end of the sleeve extends somewhat beyond hand; grip 2.- Integral with and extending outwardly from said flange is. a pair of diametrically opposed bayonet pins 9. These; pins fit into the bayonet slotso, and on the application of a small clockwise rotation of sleeve. 7 relative-to-cyliinder chamber 3', asindicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, this causesthc sleeve to become locked to the cylinder chamber (see Fig. 5) to present relative longitudinal movement. there: between.

longitudinally disposed in the oylinder chamber 3 is a compression spring "10 abutting the closed end of said chamberand one face of the piston. 5,. and normally urging the piston into contact. with the inner flanged end of sleeve 7,- one end of: the spring being disposed in the rear pocket 3 of cylinder 3. An elongated cylindrical member or arm 11 for actuation of the pump is slid-ably received Within sleeve 7, the inner end thereof being removably disposed in contact with the adjacent face of the piston 5. The outer end of arm 11 extends beyond the hand grip 2 and the outer end of sleeve 7, and is formed with a trigger 11' which is guided against rotation by the slot 12 on the under side of the barrel portion 1.

It is noted that piston 5 is cup-shaped. and has on the one facethereof in contact with spring 10, a flared lip 32 extending outwardly with its end in snug slidable engage ment with the bore of cylinder 3, the side wall of the piston curving inwardly, as at 33, from lip 32 to the opposite face of the pistonadjacent sleeve 7, forming a narrow space 34 between the piston and the cylinder wall. The lip 32 is in slid'able contact with the bore of cylinder 3 and'imparts sufllcient flexibility to the piston so as to enable it to slide easily within the cylinder bore, the rigid portion 33 of the pistongenerally being free from contact with the inner cylinder wall. Also, an annular groove 35 tsee Fig. 7) isformed in the bottom of the cup-shaped face of piston to receive the end of spring 10. On the opposite face of piston 5 isa circular recess 35 located centrally therein to receive the free end of arm 11. It is accordingly seen that the piston 5 is a self contained simple unit according to the invention and takes the place of several corresponding parts of the pump device of my copending application.

As seen in Fig. 2, when the finger is pressed against trigger 11' piston 5 is forced inwardly in the direction of the arrow against the action of spring 10. This permits water in the interior of the barrel and hand grip to pass through bayonet slots 9 into the space 36 between the piston 5 and flange 8 of sleeve 7. When the trigger is released, piston 5 and arm 11 in contact therewith are urged outwardly and the fluid in space 36 is vented through the slots 9 into the barrel 1 and the interior of hand grip 2 as the piston returns to its initial position in contact with flange 8 of sleeve 7. Thus, the bayonet-type locking structure according to the invention serves the additional purpose of introducing liquid into and venting liquid from that portion of the cylinder chamber between the piston and the adjacent end of the sleeve, and accordingly further simplifies the pump structure over that of my copending application.

The cylinder 3 is provided on its upper wall with the hollow cup-shaped boss 13 in which is nested the ball check 14 and this acts as the check for the port 15 located in the center of the boss 13 and which opens into the cylinder via port 15. A tube 16 provided with a conical bore 17 has the enlarged end 18 cemented to the cylinder boss 13 and the opposite end of the tube 16 is cemented into the cylindrical hollow boss 27 of the channel wall 19 with the hole 17 opening into the channel 20.

The cylinder 3 is also provided with the depending bored boss 22 opening into the body of the cylinder by means of the port 23. A tube 24 similar to the upper tube 16 is cemented to the boss 22 providing a seat for the ball check 25. This tube 24 extends downward to a point adjacent the bottom of the hollow shell-like hand grip portion 2 of the pistol, which forms part of the liquid reservoir chamber of the pistol. The tube has a conical bore with the smaller diameter adjacent the check valve 25.

The outer shell of the pistol and the discharge water channels are formed into two complementary, left and right hand halves which, when assembled, form the hollow'hand grip and its pistol barrel which contains the pump of the invention, the conduits 17 and 24, the valves 14 and 25, and the channel 20.

- Thus the parts land 1 each has a peripheral flange or shoulder 21 and 21' which outlines the formed pistol halves. 'Cast integrally with each half of the pistol shell are the flanges 19 and 19 respectively, each of which is spaced from and parallels the flange portion 21 and 21' which is at the top of the pistol shell. The peripheral flange 21 is notched with a peripheral notch to receive the complementary and mating peripheral flange 21'.

The flange 19 on the shell 1 has its complementary flange 19' on the shell 1 and the flange 19a has its complementary flange (not shown) on the shell 1'. The flange 19 is notched peripherally to receive the complementary and mating flange 19' (see Fig. 6), and the flange 19a is similarly notched to mate with its corresponding flange on shell 1'.

To provide for the slot 12 to receive the head 11" of the trigger 11, the peripheral flanges 21 and 21 on the under side of the barrel are elevated (see Fig. 1) and parallel depending channel walls 12a are provided on each of parts 1 and 1. The channel walls 12a are spaced to provide a slot for the travel of the finger and a channel 12 for the reception of the head 11" of the trigger.

I The peripheral flanges 21 and 21' are also formed with semi-circular depressions which, when the flanges meet, form the port to recetive the tube 16 between the barrier wall 30 and the muzzle, and the holes to receive the sleeve 7 and the plug 26. The lower flanges 19 and 19' are formed with depending demi-bosses 27 and 27' carrying demi-ports which on assembly form the boss and bore to receive the tube 16. Locating lugs 28 and 28' are provided to position and receive the pump cylinder 3. These lugs are positioned on the interior well of each of the handle portions at the proper location. In like manner, complementary lugs 29 are each placed adjacent the end walls of each of the two mating hollow handle grip portions to abut the rear end of the cylinder 3 to aid in locating the cylinder and to prevent rearward longitudinal movement thereof.

The assembly of the pistol is very conveniently done by first inserting spring 10 and piston 5 into the bore of cylinder 3, and the sleeve 7 is inserted and locked into the open end of cylinder 3 by engaging the bayonet pins 9 of the sleeve with the bayonet slots 6 in the cylinder as previously described. Tubes 24 and 16 may be preassembled on pump cylinder 3 with the ball checks in place. This unit is then set in position in one half portion 1 of the pistol, with the closed end of the cylinder 3 abutting lugs 29 and the cylinder properly located on lugs 28, with sleeve 3 extending through the adjacent semicircular derni-boss 37 and hole therein, exteriorly of the hand grip. The upper end of tube 16 is mated with the hollow demi-boss 27 of half portion 1 of the pistol. Arm 11 is then slidably inserted into the bore of sleeve 7 to its position as shown in Fig. 1, the head 11" of trigger 11' being set in the channel 12 between the depending channel walls 12a.

The shell-like halves 1 and 1' of the pistol are then brought into mating engagement, with their peripheral flanges 21 and 21' in proper contact along the entire extent thereof, and bringing the respective barrel flanges 19 and 19', and 19a and 19a into alignment and also the respective locating lugs 28 and 29, and the various corresponding demi-bosses. By placing cement on the contacting surfaces, the barrel, the tube 16, and the mating flanges and bosses may be cemented into position when the complementary shell 1 is placed over the shell 1 so that the peripheral flange 21' fits into the receiving notch of the peripheral flange 21. 'This 10- cates the shell exactly so that the lugs 28 and 29 abut the cylinder 3, the demi ports surround the tube 16, the flanges 19 and 19a mate with the flanges 19' and 19a, the barrier flange 30 registers with the barrier flange 30, and the hole is completed to receive the sleeve 7.

It will be observed how this integral construction creates the discharge channel 20 which is thus closed at one end by the barrier wall formed by the walls 30 and 30' meeting and cemented together at their meeting edges, thus forming a continuous closed channel 20 with a downwardly directed connecting conduit where it meets the discharge nozzle. The entry of the fluid is through the conduit 17. It will be observed that this construction makes the discharge conduit in the form of an inverted U tube.

In operation the plug 26 in the filler opening is removed, the pistol is immersed in water, or water is allowed to flow into the body of the pistol until the water has approximately filled the hollow body of the pistol surrounding the cylinder 3 and lying between the peripheral flanges 21 and 21 in the hollow handle and underneath the flanges 19 and 19 and the peripheral flanges 21 and 21' in the barrel. The plug 26 is replaced in the filler opening and the pistol is ready to use.

A finger pressure when applied to the finger grip or trigger 11' causes the piston 5 to travel into the pump cylinder 3 to force the water by the valve 14 through the tube 16, channels 20 and 20a and through the nozzle 20c. A release of the finger pressure on the trigger allows the piston to travel in the opposite direction, as it is caused to do by the action of the spring 10 against the piston head. This action closes the valve 14 and op'ens valve 25 and'draws a limited quantity of water from-the hollow body of the pistol up into the cylinder. It will be observed that the venturi structure of the suction tube 24- andthe dischargetube 16 aids in lifting.

the ball check valves Whenthe action as described above occurs. rr

Through the action of the simplified and improved pump structure of the i'nventiomwwhich is easily manipulated, liquid is caused .to enter cylinder 3 in the space 36 in front of piston- 5, by means of thebayonet slots 9, and is vented from such space through these slots.

While I- have described a particular embodiment of my invention forthe purpose of illustration, it should be understood that various modifications and adaptations thereof may be made within the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. r

I claim: i

l. A liquid ejecting device in the form of a pistol, comprising a pair of complementary hollow shell-like half portions, each half portion comprising a barrel half section and h'a'nd g'rip' half seetion, said half portions when cemented together providing a pistol form having a barrel with a discharge port at its nozzle and a hand grip, said half portions each having a: mating shoulder section extending substantially aboutits periphery to facilitate a water-tight union between said half portions when said half portions are cemented together to provide the pistol form, and means in said barrel half sections forming, when said half sections are cemented together, an interior channel communicating with said discharge port, a pump located inside the hand grip, said pump ineluding a hollow cylinder open at one end and closed at its opposite end, a piston slidably disposed in said cylinder, slot means on said cylinder near one end thereof, a sleeve adapted to be removably inserted into said one end of said cylinder, said sleeve having pin means near one end thereof for registering with said slot means to lock said sleeve to said cylinder, said piston being spring biased toward said one end of said cylinder, means extending exteriorly of said hand grip for operating said piston, said last-named means including a member slidably received within said sleeve and having one end in contact with said piston, means connecting the outlet of said pump with said channel, and means placing the inlet of said pump in communication with the interior of said hand grip.

2. A liquid ejecting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said piston has a lip on the spring biased face thereof extending outwardly into snug slidable engagement with the inside surface of said cylinder, and said member slidably received within said sleeve is an elongated member with one end thereof in removable contact with said piston, said elongated member extending exteriorly of said hand grip and terminating at its other end in a finger grip member.

3. A liquid ejecting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said slot means consists of a plurality of bayonet slots and said pin means consists of a plurality of bayonet pins, and wherein the outside diameter of said sleeve is smaller than the inside diameter of said cylinder and said sleeve has a flange on said one end thereof, said piston abutting said flange when said piston is in its inoperative position in said cylinder.

4. A toy liquid ejecting pistol, comprising a pair of complementary hollow shell-like half portions, each half portion comprising a barrel half-section and a hand grip half section, said half portions when cemented together providing a pistol form having a barrel with a discharge port at its nozzle and a hand grip, said half portions each having a mating shoulder section extending substantially about its periphery to facilitate a water-tight union between said half portions when said half portions are cemented together to provide the pistol form, half wall sections formed integrally with and extending longitudinally of said barrel half sections forming, when said half 6 portions are cemented together; an interior channel communicatingwitlrsaiddischarge-port, a pump located inside thehand grip, said pump including a cylindrical chamber disposed substantially parallel to the axis of said barrel,

saidchamber being. open atone end and closed at its opposite end, apistorr slidably disposed in said chamber, bayonet slots in the wall of said chamber adjacentthe open end thereof, asleeveone end of which is removably received in the open end of said chamber, said sleeve having bayonet pins formed integral with said sleeve at said one end'thereof for registering with said slots to lock said sleeve to said cylinder, said slots forming a passage for liquid from. theinterior of said barrel and said hand grip into said cylinder and vice versa, a spring. disposed innication with the interior of said hand grip.

5. A toy liquid ejecting pistol as defined in claim 4, wherein said piston has a recess in one face thereof to engage said one end of said arm, the opposite face of said piston being cup-shaped and having an annular recess to receive one end of said spring, said opposite face having a lip flaring outwardly into slidable engagement with the inside surface of said cylinder, said sleeve extending exteriorly of said hand grip, said chamber having a pair of said bayonet slots diametrically opposite each other, and said sleeve having a pair of said bayonet pins positioned diametrically opposite each other.

6. A toy liquid ejecting pistol comprising a barrel, a nozzle in said barrel, a hand grip, a pump located inside said hand grip, said pump including a cylindrical chamber disposed substantially parallel to the axis of said barrel, said chamber being open at one end and closed at its opposite end, a piston slidably disposed in said chamber, a sleeve, one end of which is received in the open end of said chamber, said sleeve being connected to said chamber, a closure between said sleeve and said chamber, a spring disposed in said chamber between said opposite end thereof and said piston, said spring urging said piston toward said one end of said sleeve, an arm slidably disposed within said sleeve and having one end in contact with said piston for urging same toward said opposite end of said chamber, said arm extending exteriorly of said sleeve and said hand grip and terminating at its other end in a trigger member, an outlet and an inlet in said chamber, means connecting the outlet of said chamber with said nozzle, means placing the inlet of said chamber in communication with the interior of said hand grip, said inlet and outlet being disposed between said opposite end of said chamber and one side of said piston, and a port in said chamber on the other side of said piston, said port permitting fluid communication between said chamber and the interior of said hand grip.

7. A toy liquid ejecting pistol comprising a barrel, a nozzle in said barrel, a hand grip, a pump located inside said hand grip, said pump including an elongated chamber, a piston positioned in said chamber for longitudinal reciprocation therealong, a liquid inlet means and outlet means for said chamber located to a first side of said piston, said chamber being otherwise closed to fluid flow to said first side of said piston, a closure means for said chamber to the second side of said piston, a spring disposed in said chamber for biasing said piston toward said closure means, an arm extending through said closure means and having one end in contact with said piston for urging same away from said closure means, means for reciprocably guiding said arm, said arm extending exteriorly of said hand grip and terminating at its other end in a trigger member, means connectingsaid outlet means with said nozzle, means placing said inlet means in communication with the interior of said hand grip, and a port in said chamber to the second side of said piston permitting free fluid communication between said chamber and the interior of said hand grip.

8. A toy liquid ejecting pistol, comprising a pair of complementary hollow shell-like half portions, each half portion comprising a barrel half-section and a hand grip half section, said half portions when cemented together providing a pistol form having a barrel with a discharge port at its nozzle and a hand grip, said half portions each having a mating shoulder section extending substantially about its periphery to facilitate a water-tight union between said half portions when said half portions are cemented together to provide the pistol form, half wall sections formed integrally with and extending longitudinally of said barrel half sections forming, when said half portions are cemented together, an interior channel communicating with said discharge port, a pump located inside the hand grip, said pump including a cylindrical chamber disposed substantially parallel to the axis of said barrel, said chamber being open at one end and closed at its opposite end, a piston slidably disposed in said 25 chamber, a sleeve one end of which is received in the open end of said chamber, a closure between said sleeve and said chamber, a spring disposed in said chamber between said opposite end thereof and said piston, said spring urging said piston into contact with said one end of said sleeve, an arm slidably disposed within said sleeve and having one end in contact with said piston for urging same toward said opposite end of said chamber, said arm extending exteriorly of said sleeve and said hand grip and terminating at its other end in a trigger member, an outlet and an inlet in said chamber, means connecting the outlet of said chamber with said channel, and means placing the inlet of said chamber in communication with the interior of said hand grip, said inlet and outlet being disposed between said opposite end of said chamber and one side of said piston, anda port in said chamber on the other side of said piston, said port permitting fluid com munication between said chamber and the interior of said hand grip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

